Eats and Streets

This is the roasted garlic,




that went on the beer batter bread,




that contained a bottle of Dogfish Head 60 Minute Ale,




that went really well with the more traditional gravy, stuffing, potatoes, and cranberry sauce. We had salmon topped with a crab stuffing as our turkey substitute, which is the little brain-shaped thing on the plate. We also tried a new preparation for Brussels sprouts involving slicing them up and combining them with lemon juice, poppy seeds, lemon zest, garlic, butter and olive oil. Delicious! And a homemade-but-not-by-us sweet potato pie for dessert.




Friday morning we got up, did the dishes, and headed to the streets of Boston. Actually we headed to the outskirts of Boston, Alewife station in Cambridge, and took the "T" into the city.




We had lunch at the Boston Public Library, sandwiches from the cafe, seated OUTSIDE in the courtyard.




We then checked into the Copley Square Hotel, just down the street. We believe that we may have been the only Americans staying there. It is an old hotel building that was purchased by a group that preserves such things, and it was advertised as "European Style". It was a perfectly fine hotel, filled with many countries-worth of foreign tourists, and the smallest elevator in Boston according to one of the employees who seemed pretty sure.




We walked up and down Newbury St. and checked out Johnny Cupcakes, among other things.




I found a bottle of wine with a lenticular label, so I bought it. The dancer's legs "move" back and forth as you rotate the bottle, just like the postcards of old. It was a Malbec, like I like. We went to dinner at Steve's which was delicious, and made plans for Saturday.




Saturday we got up and walked over to Trident Bookstore & Cafe for breakfast. We got there right at 9am when they opened and we were the first ones there.




Mrs. Cupcakes had the amazing challahbreadlemonricottastuffedfrenchtoast with blueberries, and whatever I had didn't matter next to that. It was incredible.




We wandered the streets a bit more and then checked out of the Copley and took the T back to Cambridge. After a full afternoon of shopping, tea, beer, coffee, and whatnot in Cambridge, we headed back to the car and back to Middletown.

Now the long weekend is drawing to a close, and I bid you good evening.

Turkey(non)day

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hectic/sets/72157594389077484/

Breakfast

Potato Pancakes at Mo's Midtown, originally uploaded by doctorhectic.

at noon. At Mo's Midtown in Hartford. Potato pancakes complete with applesauce and sour cream.

Yum!

Hello November

Good morning.

As is often the case, I have neglected the blog as I am back to 8 hours a day in front of a work-related computer. I still loves me some internet, but, the blog suffers. On to life recap...

When last we met, I was mumbling something about Halloween, and in the last two weeks only a few things have occured. I voted here in CT, and my place of employment was honored as "Small Business of the Year" by the Hamden Chamber of Commerce. Voting was uneventful, but the awards dinner was a strange and wonderful evening. I didn't bring a camera (SHOCK) but it seemed like it was being well documented, so I'll keep an eye on the Chamber web site. There was an ice sculpture that said "Hamden", a cash bar (sigh), and a surprise dinner menu that involved 1/4 head salads, a pasta course, surf & turf dinner, and an Italian pastry dessert platter. With coffee. And speeches.

For a self-congratulatory event, it was pretty good, and we got an etched glass award to display at work. Mr. Boss gave me a little shout out in his speech, and it was nice to be included in the whole affair.

Next week the Cupcakes are headed to Boston for a quick getaway. This virtually guarantees a return to photography for yours truly, so stay tuned.